ECOHYDROLOGY Ecohydrol. 2, 66-71 (2009) Published online 29 December 200S in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOl: 1O.IOO2/eco.40 Ecohydrological interactions within banded vegetation in the northeastern Chihuahuan Desert, USA Alyson K. McDonald,1 * Robert J. Kinucan2 and Lynn E. Loomis3 I Texas AgriUfe Extension Service, Department Ecosystem Science and MlJTUlgement, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 79735, USA 2 Departmenl of Natural Resource MlJTUlgement, Sui Ross State University, Alpine, Texas 79832, USA 3 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Marfa, Texas 79843, USA ABSTRACT Landscape patterns, consisting of alternating densely vegetated bands and sparsely vegetated interbands, occur in semi-arid and arid regions of Africa, Asia, Australia and North America. The structure of vegetation patterns has been well documented, but a wide array of underlying environmental factors and ecological processes have been suggested, with no consensus regarding the genesis and persistence of these patterns. The purpose of this study was to assess ecohydrological interactions within this banded pattern by quantifying reallocation of rainfall and soil sediments. Even subtle redistribution impacted plant biomass production and species composition. Although runoff losses from interbands accounted for only 4% total rainfall, reallocation supported tree species and bunchgrasses that would not be sustained if precipitation were evenly distributed. Additionally, a rainfall threshold was identified. When storm totals exceeded 16 mm, even the densely vegetated bands were unable to capture all the rainfall and run-on from the upslope sodgrass interbands; a portion of the runoff from interbands flowed through the vegetated bands and continued downslope into the next interband. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. KEY WORDS resource reallocation; source; sink; runoff; infiltration; semi-arid Received 28 April 2008; Accepted 16 November 2008 INTRODUCTION from 50 to 820 mm. Commonalities include gentle Closely spaced, alternating dense and sparse vegeta­ slope gradients «3%), runoff in the form of sheet­ tion form landscape patterns that are easily recog­ flow and surface soils that are prone to physical crust­ nized on aerial photos but may be undetectable in the ing. However, banded vegetation is absent in some field (Lefever and Lejeune, 1997). Vegetation may be areas that share similar features. Thus, further inquiry arranged in dense bands, stripes and stipples or spots is needed. with a matrix of sparser vegetation and bare soil (a A variety of environmental factors and processes have two-phase mosaic) (d'Herbes et aI., 2001). Some pat­ been implicated in pattern formation and function includ­ terns are comprised solely of herbaceous plants (Mac­ ing disturbance (Hemming, 1965; Dunkerley, 2(02), aeo­ Fadyen, 1950; Worrall, 1959; Hemming, 1965) but most are mixed stands of woody and herbaceous species lian forces (Clayton, 1966), topography (Sherratt, 2005), (White, 1969; Chappell et al., 1999). There are region­ edaphic heterogeneity (Warnock, 1997), burrowing ani­ specific common names for these patterns. Banded and mals and soil fauna (Whitford, 1998; Ludwig et aI., striped patterns in Africa are often referred to as 'tiger 2005), plant-induced abiotic feedbacks (Couteron and bush' (WU et aI., 2000). Mogote is the regional name Lejeune, 2001; Lejeune et al., 2004; D'Odorico et aI., used in northern Mexico (Lopez-Portillo and Mon­ 2006; Gilad et aI., 2007) and climate change (Barbier tana., 1999). Acacia aneura (mulga) is the dominant et al., 2006). woody component in large expanses of banded vegeta­ Cearley (1996) described a banded vegetation sequence tion in Australia. Hence, they are referred to simply as in the northeastern Chihuahuan Desert. He attributed the 'mulga'. A summary of the extensive body of work on banded pattern to surface resource partitioning of rainfall and sed­ vegetation, dating back to 1941, can be found in Tong­ iment, variability in soil depth, or both. Warnock (1997) way et al. (2001). These two-phase vegetation mosaics completed a detailed soil survey of the pattern and con­ are associated with various geologic parent material, cluded that sparse and dense vegetation coincided with soil types and plant species and have been docu­ shallow and deep soil depths, respectively, to a root mented in regions where annual precipitation ranges limiting layer. The objective of this field study was to quantify redistribution of rainfall runoff and soil sedi­ *Correspondence to: Alyson K. McDonald, Texas AgriLife Extension ments within a vegetation sequence and test the hypoth­ Service, Department Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M esis that redistribution contributes to pattern genesis and University, Fort Stockton, Texas 79735, USA. E-mail: [email protected] persistence. Copyright © 200S John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ECOHYDROLOGICAL INTERACTIONS IN CHIHUAHUAN DESERT 67 METHODS a mosaic of mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)-sodgrass and juniper (Juniperus pinchotii)-bunchgrass cts. During Study area this investigation a fourth plant community, dominated The study site is situated on a gently sloping (1·3% by P. glandulosa and Buchloe dactyloides, was distin­ gradient), slightly concave pediment below Cretaceous guished from the juniper-bunchgrass ct. The delineation limestone hills (Cearley, 1996; Warnock, 1997). Surface was based on species composition and productivity. B. soil textures are silt loam and silty clay loam. The win­ dactyloides in the mesquite-sodgrass ct was dead or dor­ ter season is typically cool and dry. Spring and summer mant, but still standing in the interspaces among the trees. are warm and dry punctuated with rainfall in the form Bouteloua curtipendula was the dominant bunchgrass in of convective thunderstorms. Mean annual precipitation the juniper-bunchgrass ct. at Ft. Stockton, located 50 km NW of the study site, is 310 mm (CV = 42%) (National Climate Data Cen­ ter, 2005), whereas annual potential evapotranspiration Field procedures is 973 mm (USDA Risk Management Agency, 2004) Beginning in May 1998, precipitation and runoff were (Figure 1). Most rainfall (74%) occurs between May and collected measured for 1 year. Runoff behaviour was October. The coldest month is January, with a mean air evaluated for two complete pattern sequences. Five temperature of 8°C. Maximum mean air temperature is 1 m x 1 m microcatchments were established within 28°C in July. each of the four plant communities for a total of 40 micro­ Four distinct plant community types (cts) occurred con­ catchments (Figure 3). Metal frames, inserted approxi­ tinuously as a parallel sequence downslope (Figure 2); mately 5 cm into the soil, formed the perimeter of the sequence lengths ranged from 75 to 190 m (Cearley, microcatchments. Infiltration was assumed to be equal to 1996). Proceeding downslope, an interband consisting rainfall volume minus runoff volume. Canopy intercep­ of widely scattered tarbush (Flourensia cernua) with a tion, stemflow and throughfall were not considered in this sparse cover of Scleropogon brevifolius sodgrass, was study. followed by a band of tarbush and a dense cover of Runoff flowed from each microcatchment into a collec­ Aristida purpurea bunchgrass, which was succeeded by tion bag situated in a buried bucket. Runoff was measured to the nearest 10m!. Sediment was allowed to precipi­ ~ ~ tate, to get filtered and oven-dried following procedures 250 r--------------------------------------, 30 described in Thurow et al. (1986). Soil was excavated 25 with a bucket auger and depth of wetting front was 200 recorded adjacent to each plot after every storm event. /,..,,.., .................. PET 20 Percent basal plant cover in each microcatchment was 150 · / , estimated in August 1998, October 1998, and March / , / , 15 1999. Plant species nomenclature followed Hatch et at. 100 / / Moisture Deficit ' , (1990). Percent cover of biological soil crusts, rock / , 10 / , fragments, plant litter and mineral soil was also estimated / , 50 / , on the same three dates. In March 1999, a ten-point / , " , frame was used to measure microrelief at three locations .; " within each microcatchment. A bucket auger was used to F M A M determine depth to root restrictive layer adjacent to each Figure I. Mean monthly precipitation (PPT), potential evapotranspiration microcatchment (McDonald, 2001). (PET) and temperature (TEMP) 1971-2000 at Ft. Stockton. Pecos County. Texas. Figure 2. Digital aerial photograph with delineations of four plant com­ Figure 3. Photograph of runoff microcatchment in tarbush-sodgrass plant munities within a banded pauern in the NE Chihuahuan Desert, USA. community within a banded pattern in the NE Chlhuahuan Desert, USA. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons. Ltd. Ecohydrol. 2, 66-71 (2009) DOl: 1O.1002/eco 68 A. K. MCDONALD, R. J. KINUCAN AND L E. LOOMIS Calculation of rainfall redistribution ,n '" ~~-<oooo <t: The study area was delineated on a J996 digital orthopho­ 0\01("")("")("") \D "":'01';'000 tograph and relative proportions of each plant community 7 7 type were calculated with ArcView 3·2 GIS software (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 1996) (Figure 1). This allowed us to quantify source: sink ratios and assess rainfall redistribution. Statistical analyses ,n",,,,,,,U'" All statistical analyses were conducted using SAS Version ... Q) ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ VI <n 6·12, according to SAS User's Guide (SAS Institute, Q) ----0("""') .......... ("""') o 7 7 Inc.,